Office of the Historian

795E.00/10–1350: Telegram

The Chargé in Korea (Drumright) to the Secretary of State

secret
priority
Seoul, October 13, 1950—7 p. m.
[Received October 13—2:58 p. m.]

256. Deptel 185, October 12 [11].1 Following reply assumes elections will be limited to North Korea for additional members National Assembly ROK, with continued recognition ROK sovereignty and validity May 30, 1950 elections. Any program disregarding ROK, as appears from preliminary reports to be nature at interim commission on Korea resolution October 12,2 would have disastrous effect [Page 942] here. Should peninsula-wide elections be considered desirable after careful study by new commission, they should be arranged only after discussion, arrangement with GOK.

Embassy considers it most desirable hold elections North Korea earliest possible time in accordance with security and popular understanding their meaning. Alternative would presumably be UN military government rule without reference to popular will. Believe US experience military occupation Korea, plus experience with ROK, has established that military government is inefficient, and largely ineffective in calling forth Koreans best efforts, and does little to develop understanding and experience of self-government, which ROK was great contrast, despite its deficiencies. While temporary period UN rule North Korea without elections acceptable for military reasons, consider most important that populace have earliest opportunity select candidates own choice for membership National Assembly. In that connection consider extent ROK laws which bar Commies from political activity should be enforced in North Korean elections. Would be undesirable for Commies infiltrate into ROK National Assembly or government after their recent activities.

Drumright

  1. The text of this message read as follows:

    “Wld appreciate your tentative views soonest on timing of elections in Korea: that is, do you consider it desirable that elections be held very shortly after liberation of North Korea or be deferred for considerable period?” (795.00/10–1150)

    ↩
  2. See telegram Delga 115 from New York, received at 5:48 p. m. on October 12, p. 938.↩